"Status talks after Serbia joins EU"

State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic says he expects the Kosovo status talks to be renewed. But first, this official added, "Serbia must join the EU". "Status talks after Serbia joins EU" "Then," said Ivanovic, "Europe will treat Serbia with more respect, and our position will be much better." According to Ivanovic, "the fact that 54 states have recognized Kosovo cannot be underestimated, but those states, some of them leading global economic world powers, are aware that the status of Kosovo cannot be definitive until Serbia accepts it." He also told Beta news agency in an interview that he "does not believe recognizing Kosovo's independence will be a condition for joining the EU", explaining that he is under that impression after his talks with the organization's leading figures. "The conclusion is that Kosovo will not be set as a condition for Euro-integrations. I have not heard any representative of the more influential countries speak in that way, except for some European and American analysts, but I hope that the policy of the new [U.S.] administration will be more moderate." Speaking about the EU mission in the province, EULEX, Ivanovic voiced his dissatisfaction with its work so far, dubbing it "an utterly confused mission". "EULEX is riddled with unclear issues, the relationship between UNMIK and EULEX has been defined with a UN Security Council conclusion, but in the field it looks differently. The return of Serbs to the Kosovo Police Service and inclusion of judges in the judiciary are subjects of the six-point plan. EULEX's position on those six points remains undefined – they think that UNMIK should implement it, UNMIK has the powers, but not the strength." According to him, those are all reasons why UN's six-point plan needs to be further discussed. Belgrade, Ivanovic revealed, expects those talks to take place in mid-February, when UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier returns from New York. He also sees as "very important" that countries that have recognized the Kosovo Albanians' declaration, including the U.S., France and Great Britain, voted in favor of the plan. "The six-points conclusion was adopted by the Security Council and these points are not a subject of discussion. There can only be talks on the implementation. The document's name can change, but not its essence," according to this official. The responsibility for the implementation of the six-point plan, he continued, lies primarily with the UN, EU, and "especially" with the U.S. diplomatic representatives in Kosovo, whom the Albanians see as "the greatest authority". Ivanovic also spoke about the security situation in the north of the province, to say that he does not believe that frequent incidents there would lead to violence such as that seen on March 17, 2004.

"Status talks after Serbia joins EU"

"Then," said Ivanović, "Europe will treat Serbia with more respect, and our position will be much better."

According to Ivanović, "the fact that 54 states have recognized Kosovo cannot be underestimated, but those states, some of them leading global economic world powers, are aware that the status of Kosovo cannot be definitive until Serbia accepts it."

He also told Beta news agency in an interview that he "does not believe recognizing Kosovo's independence will be a condition for joining the EU", explaining that he is under that impression after his talks with the organization's leading figures.

"The conclusion is that Kosovo will not be set as a condition for Euro-integrations. I have not heard any representative of the more influential countries speak in that way, except for some European and American analysts, but I hope that the policy of the new [U.S.] administration will be more moderate."

Speaking about the EU mission in the province, EULEX, Ivanović voiced his dissatisfaction with its work so far, dubbing it "an utterly confused mission".

"EULEX is riddled with unclear issues, the relationship between UNMIK and EULEX has been defined with a UN Security Council conclusion, but in the field it looks differently. The return of Serbs to the Kosovo Police Service and inclusion of judges in the judiciary are subjects of the six-point plan. EULEX's position on those six points remains undefined – they think that UNMIK should implement it, UNMIK has the powers, but not the strength."

According to him, those are all reasons why UN's six-point plan needs to be further discussed.

Belgrade, Ivanović revealed, expects those talks to take place in mid-February, when UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier returns from New York.

He also sees as "very important" that countries that have recognized the Kosovo Albanians' declaration, including the U.S., France and Great Britain, voted in favor of the plan.

"The six-points conclusion was adopted by the Security Council and these points are not a subject of discussion. There can only be talks on the implementation. The document's name can change, but not its essence," according to this official.

The responsibility for the implementation of the six-point plan, he continued, lies primarily with the UN, EU, and "especially" with the U.S. diplomatic representatives in Kosovo, whom the Albanians see as "the greatest authority".

Ivanović also spoke about the security situation in the north of the province, to say that he does not believe that frequent incidents there would lead to violence such as that seen on March 17, 2004.